The first Emirati astronaut, Hazza Al Mansoori, has successfully launched in to space aboard the Russian spacecraft Soyuz MS-15, on Wednesday September 25, 5.57 pm.
The astronaut, accompanied on the mission by Oleg Skripochka and Jessica Meir, launched for the UAE’s first mission to the International Space Sta-tion (ISS) Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
During the mission, Al Mansoori will do 16 scientific experiments, six of which will be conducted onboard the space station.
“Our country has taken a giant step towards implementing the vision of our leadership. This mission reflects the ability of Emiratis to undertake ambitious missions that support the global effort to create a better future for humanity and develop solutions for current and future challenges,” said His Excellency Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Higher Education and Advanced Skills and Chairman of the UAE Space Agency.
“This is a historic moment for the UAE space sector as it marks the start of a new phase of growth in which it is emerging as a global leader in many fields.”
If you missed it, check out the launch below. For the official launch, skip to 58:00:
Over the course of a year, the astronauts underwent more than 90 courses and over 1,400 hours of training. The trainings were conducted under partnership agreements with major space agencies, NASA, ESA, JAXA, and Roscosmos in Moscow, Dubai, Houston and Cologne.
The astronaut, having completed his final space training with back up astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi, is due to land back on earth Thursday October 3 at 12.48pm (GST). He will after his eight-day mission in a Soyuz-MS 12.
